Molding machine



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' 1,441,366 C. L. NORTON. MOLDING MACHINE. v FILED FEB. 1l, 1922. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 @i s @L f lflatented dan. 9, i923;

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CHARLES L. NORTON, or NnwroN, MASSACHUSETTS, essreNoa fro nnrneo'ronlns MACHINERY MANUFao'rUnrNe contri-ina,H or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A

i CORPORATION F PENNSYLVANIA.

MOLDING MACHINE.

To all whom t may conce/1m.:

Be it known that l, CHARLES L VNonroN, citizenl of the United States of America,

, and resident o Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of hllassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Molding Machines, of which the following is a specification. f f f My. invention relates to the manufacture of brick or other shapes,vby molding,and is intended -or'service in particular with such materials asground ganister and hard clays, which are unresponsive to moldingmethodsy adaptedto more plastic materials.

ln my Letters Patent' ofthe United States,

Nos. 1,332,676 and l,832,677,dated the second day of March 1920, it is pointed vout that such materials as ground ganister can be niolded'by projecting, asby dropping, a charge of the material. .under -suchconditions that on arrival at vthe mold its particles are arranged in a dense swarnnin which each particle is vtree `from contact -with its neighbors to such an etent'tliat,

though it be narrowly limited, this free." dem' enables the' particles to move in relation to eachv other and fill the mold, into which they fall with force and emphasis. In applications for United States Letters Patent filed by me on the twenty-fourth day of May, 1921, Serial Nos. 472,244, and 472,245, it is further explained that the comn pleteness with kwhich a mold is filled by the mode described inthe aforesaid patents is more fully assured, if the mold-charge liber# ated 'from' an elevated hopper is slightly smaller in horizontal profile than the mouth oi the mold which the charge is yto lill, so that particles of material marginal in the descending charge will notbe arrestedand deflected from a straight trajectory into the mold. In the said applications it is explained also, that the Conditions favorable for complete and accurate vmoldghlling by material of the gritty and refractory character under consideration,both as set t'orth in my said patents and in the said applications, are still. further ensured, it the support, both vertical and lateral, ai'- torded to the aggregate oi particles iornring vthe Acharge of material while it rests in ,they hopper, be withdrawn simultaneouslyand abruptly, so that the shape of the' charge, imparted to it by the hopper acting as a matrix, shall be unaltered as little as possible. And, further, it isfeX- plained in my said application that, particularly' the purpose of filling `large and irregularly shaped molds, it is advantageous to give the hopper, and therefore its charge, a downwardly pointing wedge-shape, vso that the charge will enter the mouth of the mold, strikey the bottom thereof irst,l and scatter explosively in all'directions. n y

It may be noted here, that demonstrations and investigations made subsequent to the .tiling of my said applications have shown that a very Iacutely pointed falling charge 'of' material,y while well `adapted rtoY complete mold-filling, is liable to prove overehcient, inthat t-he emphasisof itsinitial impact strips the mold surface of the, light sand-coating withr which it is usually pre'- f pared, and drives lthe sand into the lateral regions or recesses of the mold, scouring parts of the mold surface bare, so that the brick shape is liable to stick kthere and be injured when removed from the mold. yThe values, and the yprinciple of operation, of the wedge-shapedk mold chargeA are -conseifved, and theincidental disadvantage of the acute wedge-shape removed, by blunting the lower end of the hopper, and therefore or the charges, or, in ysome cases by providing the bottom oit the hopperrwith a Shape Which produces two or more salient points, ythus distributing the impact and suppressing the scouring action.

The invention herein described is incremental Vand supplementalto thoser above briefly outlined Its objects are to perfect, ask far as possible, the liberationof the charge frointhe hopper without derangement. of its shape; yto adjust, with greater niocty than has heretofore been possible, the degree ot dispersion of the material constituting a mold charge, at the instautot entering the mold, and to provide means for increasing or decreasing the velocity of a the charge, while holding it undisturbedin y the "closed hopper, and at some predetermined point in the descent, to cause or to allow the hopper to open and set free the charge, and then to arrest the descent of the hopper, allowing the released charge to continue its course into the mold. The opening of the hopper and the arrest of its fall may be successive or simultaneous; for some purposes it appears to be prefer-able .to open the hopper while it and the charge are accelerating as one, and are, relatively to.

each other, at rest, so that the opening movement is accompanied by practically no relative movement` between these two objects in the gravitational direction; for other pur:- poses it is effective to arrest the hopper and cause the force exerted by the moving charge itself to open the hopper, in such casepossibly deranging to some extent the shape imparted to the charge by the hopper, but producing a jet of material from it which, for some mold shapes, works well, provided kthe hopper be arrested fairly close to the mold. ln other cases, especially where widemouthed molds of simple shape are to be filled, the arrest of the hopper and its opening movement may be effected simultaneously and with good result.

`While the force of gravity constitutes effective means f for imparting the desired velocity, of movement. to the charge, itis obvious that, under some circumstances, as when using certain materials or mold shapes, it might be found desirable to employ some force other than gravity for producing the proper relative movement between the moldy and the charge, from which it follows that the movement of the charge would not necessarily need to be in a vertical direction or even that the absolute movement of the charge` be at all considerable as compared with that which may be imparted to the mold.

In the drawings hereto annexed, which illustrate my invention, and which show apparatus stripped of structural and contributory accessories as much as possible for the sake Aof exhibiting clearly the parts which are representa-tive of the operating factors within my invention, f

Figure l is a view in elevation (partly broken away) of a simple apparatus;

Figure 2 is a side view of thesame;

v Figure 3 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 4t is an end elevation of a more' elaborate apparatus;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the saine; and l f n Fig. 6 is an endk viewof a inodication.

Figure` 7 is a sectional plan viewof the hopperof Figs. 4t, 5 and 6. I

Referring to Figs. l, 2 and 3 :k ,l hopper H,consisting of an open ended box, is at;A tached yto a dropfboard B. Clips C, C, hold the drop boa-rd B, in sliding relation ywith the slides SQS, A -movableIatchQQE, holds "the hopper H in its upper position.

T he hopper bottoni is closed by a swinging gate (i, hinged at an edge at l), and held closed by the catch K, which is mounted on a leaf spring L, secured to the side of the hopper li. An arm A projects from the gate G, and spring R, secured to this arm and to the side of the hopper strains the gate to open.

At a determined point below the upper position of the hopper there is mounted the cam K2, which is in place to engage the thumb K (Fig. on catch Kl and draw the catch from under the gate G,'as the hopper falls. QA spring-abutment E, E, E2is secured in such position that it will arrest the hopper board B and therefore the hopper, after the catch K has released gate G, and allowed spring R to jerk it open. Below this abutment the mold M is placed.

The hopper H, latched inits upper position, and with gate G caught closed, is filled with a mold-charge of granular material. Latch P is then withdrawn, and the charged hopper falls, u til catch K is drawn by cam K2, when the gate G snaps open. The charge does not fall'out of the hopper at this instant, since hopper and charge are falling together. But presently the hopper board strikes the spring abutment at E, the hopper is arrested, and the hopper charge U (Fig. shoots downward out of the hopper and into the mold M.

Suppose it were desired to project a charge of material into a mold at the veloc` ity which would be attained after a vertical fall of one hundred feet. posely extreme and probably impracticable case, but is exaggerated for purposes of illustratioul 1f a charge ofgranulated ganister were released at such a height, the .particles, even if guided by a chuteor tube, would on arrival at the mold be so scattercdth'at the mold ywould not be filled. But, by protecting the charge, and conserving its shape and the close aggregation of its particles, by means of4 a hopper which falls with it. the desired extreme velocity can be acquired, and the charge released froml the hopper so close to the mold that its rparticles arrive in the desired dense swarm.

` lt will now be obvious that a wide range of adjustments of conditions is made possible by the use of apparatus characterized by the factors above described in a very simple example. The slides S may be of any height desired. The releasing cam K2 may be placed at any point between the abutment E, E. B2 and the upper lodgment of the hopper. The abutment E, E. E2 may be spaced as desired in relation to the releasing cam K2 or the mold M, or both. A selected velocity, at the instant of release from the hopperwill afford any1 desired degree of dispersion of granules, according to the. distance through Ywhich the released charge.V O

(This iS. .a Pup-.

is to tall freely and without the protecting envelope oi the hopper, and, by selecting the height of the starting point of the hopper, any desired emphasis of impact by the charge upon the mold surfaces can be secured.

with the foregoing explanation of the ap- .paratus shown in Figs. 1, 2 andi-3, in the readers mind, a very brief description of Figs. 4, 5 and 6v will suilice.'

In Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown a falling hopper with mechanical adjuncts fwhich open vand arrest the hopper simultaneously. The hopper is of the clam shell type, composed oic two similar. halves 1, 1, each pivoted by a pin 6 on a frame 2, each also carries a pin 7. `Pins 6 and travel in slides 3, and,'when the two pins of each half of the` hopper are in the straight vertical portions of the' slides, the hopper will be closed. Each slide diverges vat the bottom, at 5. A spring 8 is stretched betweenpins 7, '7. A spring abutment at 9`1nay be provided, to be encountered by `the projecting ledge ofthe frame 2; The mold M is placed below the hopper.r The hopper is shown in full lines in both its upper and lower positions.

rIhe hopper being held in its elevated position, it is charged with materiahand allowed to fall. Hopper and charge :tall together' and exert no force on each other (appreciably) during their fall. 'Vilhen pins 7 reach the divergent portions 5 of the slides,

` the halves of the hopper are opened,'and the lhere again of the clam shell type, but

deep, with a pointed nose.l Its two halves 1l, 11 are pivoted on pins 13, 13, to a frame 12, and are held together by a spring 15, the function of which is, chiefly. to hold the hopper closed while it is filled, and during its descent. i Slides 14 guide the hopper, by means oi the pins V1.3,.- which run in the slides. An abutment 1G is placed where it will arrest the frame 'l2 and therefore the hopper.

The hopper l1, 1l, being held elevated. it charged with material, and let fall. lVhenl the hopper is arrested yby the abutment 16, the momentum of the charge pushes aside the pivoted halves of the hopper against the stress oi' the spring 15, and shoots it in a jet to and into the mold M.` l

The method above described is the subject matter of claim in an application for United eee 3 States Patent, tiled by nie concurrentlfyY 1ere-l with. serially nimibercd 525,'33. V

I claim v 1. Anr apparatus for forming .molded shapes comprising an openable container, means whereby such container may be projected toward an open mold,;and means. for causing said container 4to open` to permit discharge ol: its contents at a determined distance from the mold. f

2. Apparatus'for forming molded shapes comprising an open mold, an openable hopper, meansv for guiding said'hopper for movement toward the mold, and means for causing said hopper automatically to open at a variably determinable distance from the mold.

An apparatus for forming molded shapes comprising means whereby an open-y ranged at apredetermined distance from the ,comprising a mold, an openable hopper,

means for guiding said hopper for movement toward the mold, and cam means associated with said guiding means for open-` ing said hopper during` the'movement thereof, said cam means. being adjustablerelatively to the mold. 'A Y A.

5. Apparatus for molding brick-shapes or the like, comprising a mold, a gravityslide above the mold, an 'openable hopper, mounted to fall from a kheight alongy the gravity-slide rtoward the mold, means for causing the hopper to openv at a point on the slide above the mold.

6. Apparatus i'or molding brick-shapes or the like, comprisingy a mold, a gravityslide above the mold, an openable hopper mounted to fall from a height along the gravity-slide toward the mold andfmeans to open the hopper while. it is in descent toward the mold, i f

7. Apparatus for molding. brick-shapes or the like, comprising a mold, a gravityslide above the mold, an openable hopper mounted to fall from a height along the `gravity-slide toward the mold, means to vmounted to iall from a height along the gravity-slide toward the mold, means to open the hopper at a point on the slide above the mold, andl a stop to arrest the hopper above the mold after it has opened.

9. Apparatus for molding brick-shapes or the like, comprising a mold, a gravity-A its .y

slide above the mold, anopeiiable hopper having' downwardly converging; eparable ends said hopper being mounted to fall from a height along the zgravity-slide toward the mold, and means to arrest the hopper abovethe mold. f j

lO. r'fipparatus for molding` brick-shapes or the like, comprising a mold, a gravityslide above the mold, an kopenable hopper comprising two separablesections, ,said hopper mounted to fall "from a height along' the gravity-slide,,means to hold the said hopper sections together through the upper portion of itsfall, means to separate the sections at a point above the mold, and a stop to arrest the fall of the hopper. j

11. Apparatus for forming molded shapes comprisinfran open mold, an openable hopper of clam shell type, having' similar halves pivoted to swing apart, means' for normally holding said halves together, means'lor grindingk said hopper for movement ltoward the mold, and means yfor causing said halves to separate to permit discharge of the hopper contents at a determined distance from the mold.

l2. Apparatus-for forming molded shapes comprising` an open mold, a hopper having complemental kparts pivoted tosxving a-ivay from each other, means for guiding said hopper for movement .toward the mold` means operative to prevent separation of said hopper parts during a predetermined extent of such movement of the hopper, and cam means for separatingr said parts Whereby to, permit ejection of the contents of the hopper. r

13. Apparatus for forming molded shapes comprising' a mold, a hopper having' relatively movable parts, each of said parts bev,ing provided With an outstanding pin, and

a guide for directing said hopper in moving toward the mold, said 1guide haring spaced slots 'for the reception of the'respectivepins, and cam means associated with said slots constructed and arranged to cause separation of said pins whereby relatively to move the parts of the hopper to permit discharge oi the contents thereof.

14. Apparatus of the class described comprising a hopper of the clam shell type having` complemental halves pivoted to swing apart, a pair ot' guideways for guiding' said hopper for` movement towardv a mold, said guideways being substantially parallel throughout the major portions of their lengths, but diverging; from one another at points adjacent to the'mold, -a pin projecting` from each half of the hopper and engaging one of the respective `guide- Ways, and means adjacent to the diverging portions of the guideways tor arresting movement of the hopper.

Lfkpparatus for forming molded shapes comprising; a mold, means Jfor projecting` a container. for material ktoivardfsaid mold, and means for resiliently arresting the movement of said container whereby topermit discharge of the contents there-ot' into the mold.

16. kApparatus of the class described comprising` an open mold, means whereby an openable hopper "may be projected toward the mold, means for opening said hopper at a determinate point in its path of movement,y and means for resiliently arresting the movement ot' the hopper.

Signed by me at Boston, lvlassachusetts7 this seventh day of February, 1922.

CHARLES L. NORTON. 

